For those after a classic '50s, '60s, or '70s Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazzmaster, Jazz or Precision Bass there's never been a better way to get the tone of your dreams. The Fender American Vintage II Series has faithfully recreated the original designs of these historic instruments. Equipped with period accurate bodies, neck, hardware and down to year specific pickups, these instruments pay homage to Fender's Gold age.
Due to a cease a desist telegram received after the launch of his new Broadkaster from Fed Gretsch, in 1951 Leo Fender reintroduced the blackguard Telecaster we still know and love today. The 1951 Telecaster was truly revolutionary, ushering in a new era of solid body electric guitars. The American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster reissue features the same specs and are recreated exactly like the original in Fender's Corona California factory.
The Precision Bass was a game-changer for the world of music. It shaped how we listen to music and how we perform it. It is continuing to inspire today’s generation of musicians and will continue to do so for decades to come. The Fender American Vintage II 1954 Precision Bass features the oversized Tele headstock slab body and chrome control plate that were found on this iconic model.
Building on the success of the newly released 1954 Strat, by 1957 the Stratocaster cemented itself as a mid century masterpiece. The American Vintage II 1957 Stratocaster faithfully replicates the vintage specs of the 57 Strat and features Pure Vintage 57 Stratocaster Pickups, V-Shape neck, 7.25" radius fingerboards and nitrocellulose lacquer finish.
By the 1960s the Precision Bass now took cues from the Stratocaster, now adopting a Strat headstock shape, body contour, body mounted controls and 4 saddle bridge. The American Vintage II 1960 Precision bass features Pure Vintage '60 Split Coil P Bass pickups, C shape neck and 7.25" radius fingerboard.
Going into the 1960s the Stratocaster still reigned supreme introducing new appointments. The Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster features C Shape Neck, 7.25" Rosewood Fingerboard, and pure vintage '61 Stratocaster pickups.
The 1963 Telecaster also introduced new appointments found in the 60s Strats. The Fender American Vintage II 1963 Stratocaster features Pure Vintage '63 Telecaster pickups, C Shape neck and 7.25" rosewood fingerboard.
The Jazzmaster was initially released with a target audience of Jazz guitarists in mind but instead became synonymous with '60s surf and later also became popular with indie rock, alternative and country players. The Fender American Vintage II 1966 Jazzmaster features C Shape Neck, 7.25" radius rosewood fingerboard and '66 pure vintage jazzmaster pickups.
When Don Randall at Fender Sales requested a more sophisticated, high-end bass model, the now iconic Jazz Bass® was the result. The neck was narrower at the nut, providing a faster and more effortless feel and the sleek new body style mirrored the offset contoured style of the Jazzmaster®. By 1966, evolution of the instrument reached new heights with striking new features. The American Vintage II 1966 Jazz Bass features U Shape neck, 7.25" radius rosewood fingerboard and '66 pure vintage jazz bass pickups.
The Telecaster® Thinline first debuted in July of 1968 and the semi-hollow design was created to produce light instruments from heavy ash. Reimagined in late ’71 around a pair of Wide-Range humbucking pickups mounted to a reshaped curvy pearloid pickguard, the souped-up second-generation Telecaster Thinline had its first full year of production in 1972. Notably, it was Fender’s first six string with humbucking pickups and the first Tele® with six adjustable bridge saddles. The American Vintage II 1972 Thinline Telecaster features C shape neck, 7.25" radius maple fingerboard and wide range cunife pickups.
By 1973, now-classic CBS design cues had become standard spec and were widely used by rock, funk, fusion and prog players around the world. Weekly late night music television shows like Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, In Concert and Midnight Special provided more exposure than ever for Fender instruments, further cementing the Stratocaster’s dominance as a pop culture phenomenon. The Fender American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster features pure vintage '73 staggered pole pickups, 7.25" radius rosewood fingerboard and vintage tall frets.
Initially introduced in 1972 and billed as the top model in the Telecaster® family, The Telecaster Deluxe holds the distinction of being Fender’s first solid-body Telecaster with two humbucking pickups. Like the original, the American Vintage II 1975 Telecaster Deluxe sports a large Stratocaster® headstock, comfort-contoured belly cut, and pair of Wide Range humbucking pickups mounted to an elongated pickguard with dual volume and tone controls and a 3-way toggle located on the upper bout. To create authentic Wide-Range humbucking pickups, we resurrected CuNiFe magnets, which had been out of production since 1981, an essential element in recreating the sonics of the original. The Fender American Vintage II 1975 Telecaster Deluxe features C Shape neck, 7.25" radius maple fingerboard and cunife widerange humbucking pickups.
The Telecaster® Custom marked one of Fender’s earliest forays into the use of humbucking pickups. The Tele® Custom featured a 3-way toggle located on the upper bout and dual volume and tone controls mounted to a stylish, elongated pickguard. The Fender American Vintage II 1977 Telecaster Custom features a cunife wide range humbucking pickup in the neck and a pure vintage '77 single coil tele pickup in the bridge, C shape neck and 7.25" radius maple fingerboard.
Left-hand versions of the American Vintage II ’51 Tele, ’57 Strat, ’61 Strat, and ’66 Jazz Bass are all available for the southpaw player